Apparatus for dental projection



Dec. 12, 1939; J. A. SAFFI R APPARATUS FOR DENTAL PROJECTION Filed April 23 19 36 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 12, 1939.

J. A. SAFFIR APPARATUS FOR DENTAL PROJECTION Filed April 23, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WQWQQA Patented Dec. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR DENTAL PROJECTION Jacob A. Saffir, Rockford, Ill., assignor of onehalf to John A. Korengold, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 23, 1936, Serial No. 75,974

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a method for the reflection and for the viewing of images from the mouth and its interior, including the teeth, gums, and related parts upon a screen.

An object of this invention is to enable the patient, the dental examiner, or any other interested parties to view an image of the interior of the patients mouth projected upon a screen a distance from the mouth being examined.

The image may be enlarged greatly without distortion, and may appear in natural colors thus aiding and simplifying the examination or study of the mouth and its structures.

In examining a mouth, the dentist uses many means to detect faults or disease requiring correction. The most common procedure is to employ a sharply pointed instrument, called an explorer, to engage or fall into any abnormal crevice or cavity which is too small to be detected with the naked eye.

There are numerous cases where cavities are overlooked due to their inaccessibility, as it is not always possible to probe every minute spot where decay may occur.

By the present invention, the mouth or part of the mouth, a few teeth or even just one tooth, can be projected so greatly magnified as to make noticeable the first hint of pathology.

Whereas, incipient pathological conditions in 30 the mouth are not always apparent to the naked eye, they become very evident when projected in natural colors and portrayed on the screen. This feature facilitates the diagnosis of early gingivitis or other pathological conditions which first manifest themselves by a variation from the normal healthy color that should be present.

A further object of this invention is to provide means whereby the dentist can intelligently point out and call to the attention of the patient the conditions present in the patients mouth which warrant the dentists services.

At present, it is common for the dentist to give his patient a hand mirror to hold, into which the dentist tries to show him a reflection of what appears in the tiny mouth mirror which the dentist is focusing on some particular tooth or spot.

It is well nigh impossible for the patient to see enough of his mouth or even to see satisfactorily any great part of it to enable him fully to visualize and understand just what the dentist is trying to show. Beginning cavities, pits, irritations to the gums are particularly difiicult to picture without actual vision.

Another object of this invention is to provide means whereby. students can more readily see what the instructor is trying to demonstrate.

Also, the number of observers who can at present crowd around the clinician and his patient during clinics is very limited, and a large group have to take turns passing before the mouth, with great annoyance to the patient and much delay to the lecturer. With my invention the possibilities for clinical work are unlimited.

A still further object of this invention is its adaptability and use for the checking of the dentists work, with an end to obtaining more perfoot results. For example, before setting an inlay or bridge, these are projected very much enlarged on the screen, and the margins of same can be checked for fit and corrected before the restora tion is set.

Still another object of this invention is to prolong the years of usefulness of the dentist whose eyes are bad or failing. Instead of having to limit his practice to anterior teeth only, as some men now do, or to retire altogether, such a dentist need but employ this invention to see allthe teeth and every part of the oral cavity very plainly, much magnified, in natural colors, and without eyestrain.

The attainment of the above and further objects of this invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross section of a preferred form of this invention.

Figure 2 is a cross section of a modified form of this invention.

Figure 3 is a view of the mouth end of the projector with a mouth mirror attachment.

In the various drawings, similar reference numerals indicate similar parts.

Reference may now be had more particularly to Figure 1.

At I, there is shown a tubular mouth piece at the modified end of the apparatus, said mouth piece being mounted in place by means of a slip joint 2, which permits the removal of the mouth piece. This allows for sterilization or for replacement by either a longer or shorter tube as required.

A plurality of electric lamps 3 provide the necessary illumination. A very highly polished refiector 5 is provided behind the lamps in order to reflect as much of the light as possible forward through the tube opening 6.

Openings 1--89 are provided for ventilation.

Cooling of the apparatus is facilitated by means of an electric fan l0 which blows the current of air from inlets II and I2 through the apparatus and out through the opening vents I, 8, 9.

Light from the electric lamps 3 passes through the tube l5 and the mouth piece i, into the patients mouth. Light reflected from the patients mouth again passes through the mouth piece I and tube 2 in reverse direction to a tube 20, passing meanwhile through a lens 2|.

The light then passes outwardly through the tube and through a second lens 22 from which the image is projected on a suitable screen.

The lens 22 is mounted in a tube 25 which is screw threaded on a tube 20 as indicated by the threads 28. This is for the purpose of focusing the image on the screen.

It is understood that where desirable reversing lenses can be added so as to reflect the image in the correct position instead of reversed position.

In Figure 2 there is illustrated another embodiment of the present invention, which embodiment diiiers from that of Figure l, in that here two separate light sources are used, which light sources are also separate from the projected portions of the apparatus. In this form of the present invention the light sources can be moved independently from the projecting tube.

The light sources are connected together and to the connecting tube by means of the adjusting rods which hold the two light lamp units 31 and the projector tube 38 in any set position as set by the operator.

Condensing lenses 39 and 40 condense and throw a brilliant light on the part of the mouth to be viewed. Suitable ventilating openings are provided here as in the embodiment previously described.

Although I have not shown in this form of my invention, electric fans for forced ventilation of the light units, it is to be understood that such may be provided, if desired.

The projecting tube 38 has proper lenses and 46. An adjustable tube 41 provided with a lens 48 screws backward and. forward on tube 38 by means of a screw thread 49 for focusing purposes. Thus a reflected image enters at 65, passes through the tube 38 and its lens 46, through the tube 41 and its lens 48 and then is projected on a suitable screen.

Figure 3 shows the mouth end of a projecting tube 8|! which corresponds to the tube I of Figure 1, and on which has been attached a mouth mirror apparatus 6|. With this apparatus the dental projector can show an image'of the posterior surfaces of the teeth. The image formed on the mirror surface 62, which is set at an is not limited to the precise arrangements herein shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of my invention. What I consider new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A refiecting'apparatus for projecting images.

of the oral cavity, having in combination a casing, a light source within said casing, there being two light apertures in said casing, a tubular extension at one of the apertures to permit flooding the oral cavity with light from the light source within said casing, and said same tube receiving the-reflected image from the oral cavity to pass back and be transmitted through the second aperture onto a screen.

2. A reflecting apparatus for projecting images of the oral cavity having, in combination, a casing, a light source with said casing, and cooling means for said casing, said casing having two light apertures, a tubular extension around one aperture, and through which light passes from said light source for flooding the oral cavity, and said same tube and aperture receiving the reflected image from the oral cavity to pass back and be transmitted through the second aperture onto a screen.

3. An apparatus for reflecting images of the oral cavity, comprising in combination a light source within a casing, said casing having two light apertures, a tubular extension around one aperture thru which light is-directed from said light source to the oral cavity, this same tube and aperture receiving also reflected rays from the oral cavity which pass backward thru a second aperture in said casing, second aperture having suitable lenses for transmission of said image onto a screen.

4. An apparatus for reflecting images of the oral cavity comprising in combination a light source within a casing, said casing having two light apertures, a tubular extension around one aperture thru which light passes directly from said light source to the oral cavity, said same tubular extension also carrying efferent light rays from said oral cavity which pass backward thru a second aperture in said casing, said second aperture having suitable lenses for transmission of said image onto a screen.

5. An apparatus for exploring the oral cavity and projecting highly magnified accurate images thereof upon a remote viewing screen for therapeutic inspection, comprising: illuminating means, a casing disposed about said illuminating means and including a convergent section for projecting an intense beam of light from said casing into the oral cavity to be inspected, and lens means shielded from direct illumination within said casing and optically directed along the zone of illumination defined by said lightprojecting casing section, said lens means being arranged and proportioned to project, for viewing upon a remote screen, only image-forming light reflected from the oral cavity unconfused by extraneous illumination present within said casing.

6. An apparatus for exploring the oral cavity and projecting highly magnified accurate images thereof upon a remote viewing screen for therapeutic inspection, comprising: illuminating means, a casing disposed about said illuminating means and including a light-directing section for condensing and projecting an intense beam of light from said casing into the oral cavity to be inspected, and lens means shielded from direct illumination within said casing, said lens means comprising an objective lens optically di rected along the zone of illumination defined by said light-projecting casing section and a focusing magnifying lens associated therewith and arranged to project, upon a remote viewing screen, image-forming light reflected from the oral cavity unconfused by extraneous illumination pres- I ent within said casing.

fined by said light-projecting tubular casing section, and a mouth mirror supported forwardly of said light projecting tubular casing section, disposed at an angle with respect to the optical axis of said lens means and receivable wholly within the oral cavity, said mirror and lens means being so arranged and proportioned as to project back, for viewing upon a remote screen, imageforming light reflected from the oral cavity unconfused by extraneous illumination present 10 within said casing.

JACOB A. SAFEIR. 

